Wall construction



GEORGE E. DE FORREST, OF UHRICHSVILLE, OHIO.

WALL CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application filed December 19, 1916. Serial No. 137,791.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. .DE Fonnns'r, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Uhrichsville, county of Tuscarawas, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Wall Construction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in wall construction and particularly to walls constructed of hollow bricks, and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment among other formations, and arrangements within the spirit and scope of my invention.

In building brick walls the usual practice is to face the wall with a certain grade and type of brick and to supply some means on the inner surface of the wall to which plaster may be applied and held. This means ordinarily consists of laths fixed to the inner surface or hollow tile fire proofing fastened to this inner surface by metal ties. Such practice necessitates building several distinct walls each made of different material and the completed building wall consisting of these several portions built one against the other. Again, a common method of constructing a building wall is to build a wall of face or exterior brick and back this brick wall with one of hollow tile fireproofing bound to the wall formed of face brick by suitable metal ties. Other methods are in use butin the usual building wall construction several thicknesses of various materials are used to form the completed wall.

It is an object of my invention to so construct a wall as to overcome the necessity of forming the completed wall of several materials built up in several walls combined to produce the building wall of the required thickness and structure. I accomplish this object by constructing the wall of a peculiarly designed hollow brick which is of the required width of the completed wall and which is so formed as to perform all the functions of the usual brick wall faced with brick and backed with means for holding plaster. This brick is hollow and is usually formed of a width equal to the thickness re quired in the completed wall, a length equal to that of two ordinary brick and the height of the ordinary brick.

I A further object of my invention is to form a hollow building brick which when used in wall construction will reduce the cost of building and attain certain advantages for the completed wall which are not had by the usual building wall construction.

A further object ,of my invention is to produce a hollow building brick whose cost of production is as low as the ordinary brick of commerce but which has certain advantages thereover in structure and arrangement and in use in a building wall.

A further object of my invention is the construction of a building wall of my novel hollow building brick which is of great strength and rigidity and inexpensive to construct.

A further object of my invention is the novel wall construction which provides for building a wall of hollow bricks which are interlocking, of a structure which overcomes the possibility of dampness soaking through from the outside of a wall to the interior thereof, and which are so formed as to provide the plaster holding means and the facing means integral therewith.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved corner brick of a form adapted to be used in a wall constructed of my novel hollow building brick, and provided with plaster holding means and facing eans integral therewith and forming part thereof.

The invention consists of certain novel features in construction and arrangements and combinations as more fully and particularly set forth and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 1n s:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of a portion of a building wall constructed according to my invention and formed of the hollow bricks of my invention.

Fig. 2, is a perspective view of a corner block embodying my invention.

Fig. 3, is a perspective view of a hollow brick embodying my invention.

Referring'particularly to Fig. 3, of the drawings, where I have disclosed the preferred embodiment of my novel brick, the brick 1 is hollow and provided with a central longitudinal web 3, and three transverse webs 4 intersecting said longitudinal web 3. These webs 3 and 4 divide the block into a number of air spaces 5, the use and purpose of which will appear hereinafter. Each brick 1 is provided at one end with a groove or depression 6 which is formed longitudinally of the hei ht of the brick and centrally of the wid h thereof, and at the opposite end with a tongue or projection correspondingly positioned with respect to the groove or depression 6. Thus when the bricks 1 are placed in position in the courses forming a wall, with their ends abutting the tongue or projection 7 of each brick is adapted to fit into the groove or depression 6 of an adjacent brick thereby securely looking the bricks of each course together against displacement. It is to be noted that the side of the tongues or projections 7 and of the grooves or depressions 6 are parallel to each other and to the side walls of the brick, and at right angles to the end walls of the brick. This enables the bricks, when being laid in a wall, to be placed in position from the end of the last brick laid or in a position from above the last brick laid. That is, if desired, a brick may be laid upon the course below and shoved or slid into position with the last brick laid in the course forming obviating the necessity of raising the brick above the course forming as is required if the bricks are locked together with a dove tail, or the like, joint.

In the foregoing, the common method of constructing a brick wall has been pointed out, and the several disadvantages discussed. To overcome these disadvantages I have formed a hollow brick and constructed a building wall thereof of a building brick embodying the following features which are hereinafter specifically pointed out. The hollow brick of my invention in a single brick combines by a novel structure the features of the old multi-wall method of constructing a building wall and further by certain other features materially reduces the number of bricks necessary to form the wall and, notwithstanding, retains in the finished wall the same appearance as that of a building wall constructed according to the prevailing methods. I accomplish these results and advantages by the following novel structure.

The preferred brick of my invention is formed, as before stated, of twice the length of an ordinary brick, the usual height of said brick, and of a width equal tothe desired thickness of the completed building wall, although in the particular example illustrated by the accompanying drawings I have shown the brick of a width approximately equal to half the length of the brick 1, or about the length of the ordinary brick. One side wall or surface of my brick is given a face brick finish-of any desired face brick designs and is adapted-to form the outer surface of the completed Wall, such as F.. y

In order therefore, to permit the bricks when laid in a wall giving the wall the apearance of having been formed of the usual building brick, I have provided approximately midway the length of the side which has been prepared as the outer surface a vertically disposed groove or false mortar joint 8 which is adapted t be filled with mortar and present the appearance of a joint between two bricks of a wall.

The opposite side wall or surface of the brick is formed with a roughened or grooved surface such as 9 to permit plasterbeing laid thereon and held thereby to form the interior surface. Thus it is apparent, that a wall built of bricks of my invention, properly laid will present a proper outer surface giving the appearance of having been formed of the usual face brick and an inner surface adapted to properly ?receive and hold the material with which it is to be finished and the wall formed of but one thickness of brick.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, I have shown an improved form and arrangement of corner brick, of the same general type as the brick 1 which is adapted to be used in combination with bricks 1 in constructing walls. This corner brick 21 is formed hollow with a centrally arranged longitudinal web 24 and two transverse webs 25 intersecting the web 24 and dividing the brick into air spaces 26. The length of brick 21 is approximately equal to three-fourths of the length of a brick 1. In width, brick 21. is approximately equal to the length of an ordinary brick, or half the length of brick 1. One side and end of brick 21 are provided with a face brick finish, such as F, in design corresponding to the finish on the exterior of brick 1, with which it is to be built into a wall. The side of the brick formed with the exterior finish F-is divided into the two distances which make up its total length, width of an ordinary brick and length of an ordinary brick, by a false mortar joint or groove 8, similar to those formed in the brick 1.

On the side of brick 21 opposite the finished side a groove or depression-28 is formed similar to those in the ends of brick 1. This groove 28 is formed at a point opposite the mortar joint 8 on the face of 21, and is joined approximately at its center by one of the transverse webs 25. The other end of this side of 21 "is provided with grooves, or the like 9. In other words, the side of the corner brick opposite the side having the face brick finish is divided into the two distances into which the finished side is divided, length and width of the ordinary brick, but in the reverse order, that is, the

which represents the width of the ordinary brick, and the portion of the face brick side which represents the width of the ordinary brick is opposite the portion of the interior side which represents the length of the ordinary brick and is provided with the groove or depression 28.

The end of brick 21 opposite the end provided with the face brick or exterior finish similar to the tongues 7 of the brick 1 and arranged centrally of this end of the brick. The dimensions of the brick 1 and corner brick 21 as disclosed and described herein are not necessaryto the success and practicability of my invention but the brick ,1 may be made any desired size, with a proportionate increase or decrease of the size of the corner brick to permit its use thereself to the particular size of the brick disclosed, which disclosure is of my preferred size and arrangement.

I will now describe a building wall cone structed according to my novel method and of bricks of my novel formation.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, of the attached drawings, the bricks 1, are lald end to end with the tongues 7 of one brick fitting within the groove 6 of the adjacent brick, in horizontal superimposed courses 2 with the roughened or corrugated surfaces 9 forming the inner surface of the wall and the outer surface formed by the finished sides having the false mortar-joint 8, thereon.

The brick in each course are laid oppositely, that is, the brick of one course are laid withthe ends having the projections 7 all toward one end of the wall and the next course is formed by laying the brick with the projections 7 toward the opposite end of the wall. This is determined by the arrangement of the tongue and groove on the corner block to be used on the end of' the wall, as will appear hereinafter. The walls formed of thebrick 1 are joined by the corner brick 21 which is so formed as to interlock with the endbrick of the courses of the walls to be joined. As explained, the walls are formed by the horizontal superimposed courses 2 of the interlocking brick 1.

In the particular example illustrated, the

tongue and groove jointsformed between adjacent brick are laid to break with the joints so formed in the course upon which the brick are being laid and each.joint is positioned directly above one of the intermediate webs 4 of the brick directly therebeneath. In this manner, the actual joints joints on the surface of the brick break with the joints of the brick in the courses below F is formed with a tongue or projection 27 with. I do not therefore, wish to limit mybetween the brick 1 and the false mortar broken with the joints in the courses face brick of commerce laid in courses with the joints between the brick of each course above and below.

The end of a wall constructed as described above will have the end brick of alternate courses protruding or extending a distance beyond the end brick of the courses directly above and below, a distance equal to the distance between one of the end transverse webs 4 and the end of the brick. Now, if desired to build a wall at right angles to the wall constructed the corner brick 21 are used as follows;

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the courses having the end brick extending be 0nd the end brick of the courses directly a ove and 'below it are formed by laying the brick 1 courses have their end brick grooved side and above so that the exterior of the finished wall presents the appearance of a wall constructed in the ordinary manner with the with their grooved ends toward the corner brick, and in the courses above and below directly the brick are laid with their ends having the tongues or projections toward the corner brick, that is the short courses at the end of the wall present the end of a brick having a tongue and the extended or long courses present the end of a brick provided with a groove or depression.

As described, the width of the corner brick is equal to the width of brick 1 and in length brick 21 is equal to half the'length of brick 1 plus the width of the ordinary brick of commerce or approximately the distance between the end of one of the brick 1 and the nearest transverse web 4 thereof. Oneside of i are adapted to fit into, the groove or depression in the side of a corner brick 21. This arrangement will cause the length of the corner brick to lie at right angles to the courses to which it is added. The courses alternate to the first mentioned extended rovided' with a groove or depression into which the tongue or projection formed on the end of the corner brick fits, in such a manner, that the corner I brick presents the side having a groove toward the ends of the corner brick positioned directly above and below, and due to the length of the corner brick it Wlll extend with its outer end flush with the sides of the corner brick in the courses above and below and will present the for receiving the end brick of the courses in the wall at right angles to the first mentioned wall.

A. wall may be constructed at right angles to the first mentioned wall by build ng courses of the brick 1 from the corner brick 21 which present alternately a groove and a tongue and having the tongue extending a distance beyond the groove approximately equal to the distance between the end of a brick 1 and the nearest transverse web 4 thereof. Therefore, the wall constructed from the corner brick at right angles to the first mentioned wall will be formed in the same manner as said first mentioned wall and present the same exterior appearance The resulting appearance of the exterior surface of the completed wall being that of a wall of the usual formation having its exterior surface formed of the usual face brick laid in horizontal courses with the mortar joints of superimposed courses broken with the joints of the courses therebelow. The completed wall constructed as described, above, and with the bricks in the position there pointed out, will be penetrated from top to bottom" by air channels formed by the coinciding air spaces 5 of the superimposed bricks which gives the wall the essential qualities of coolness in warm weather and warmth in cold weather according to the well known principles of air insulation.

I am enabled to construct a building wall of one thickness of material and one in which the masons in laying the brick'will only utilize approximately one half the time required to build an equivalent wall by the usual methods, and a wall which embodies a finished outer surface, an innersurface adapted to receive the material with which it is to be finished and a wall formed with unobstructed interior air channels which maintain the space surrounded by the wall at even temperatures and prevent the possibility of dampness soaking or seeping through from the exterior of the wall. I am aware that bricks have been made which embody some of the distinct elements of my brick and that hollow walls are well known in this art but what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is a building wall formed of hollow building bricks each brick of which embodies every feature. necessary for the inner and outer surfaces of the completed wall and for the proper insulation thereof, and within my knowledge a brick s0 constructed'is novel in the art.

What I claim is 1. A hollow building block in width equal to the width of the wall to be built, in vertical thickness approximately equal to the vertical thickness of an ordinary brick and in length approximately equal to twice the length of such ordinary brick, said block having a plaster receiving edge face, the

opposite edge face of the block being .finished, said finished face being formed with a vertical motar-retaining groove midway its length, the hollow interior of said block being traversed by a longitudinal web and acenter and end transverse webs, approximately uniformly spaced apart and from the block ends, said motar-retaining groove. being arranged in the same vertical end walls and .webs of each block rest on.

end walls and webs of the adjacentblocks below to form vertically alined air spaces throughout the superimposed courses.

2. A hollow building block in width equal to the width of the wall to be built, said block formed with a plaster receiving side face and theopposite side face finished to present the appearance of face. brick, the

hollow interior of said block formed with.

a center transverse web, and the finished face of said block formed with a vertical mortar retaining groove arranged in the same vertical plane as the center transverse web whereby the side wall is not weakened by the formation of said groove therein.

3. A wall composed of courses consisting of similar hollow blocks, each block being rectangular and in width equal to the width of the wall and having a plaster receiving face at the inner side of the wall and a finished face at the outer side of the wall, said blocks each provided with a central transverse web and a vertical mortar groove in the same vertical plane as said transverse web, and the blocks of each course breaking joints with the adjacent courses whereby alined Vertical air spaces are formed throughout the height of the wall and the outer face thereof presents the appearance of face brick.

GEORGE R. DE FORREST. 

